Contemporary Ladakh Communal Divide in Kargil & Leh
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Issue Brief # 234
August 2013
Innovative Research | Independent Analysis | Informed Opinion
Contemporary Ladakh
Communal Divide in Kargil & Leh
Gulzar Hussain
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Ladakh consisting of two districts Kargil similarities; historically the two districts
and Leh predominantly follows two Kargil and Leh had a commercial and
major religions: Buddhism and Islam. In social relationship.
Leh district, majority of people are
followers of Buddhism with a small However, since the early 1980s the
number of Muslims, Hindus and traditional bonding and communal
Christians. In Kargil district majority follow harmony dramatically changed due to
Islam with a small number of Buddhists, many incidents of communal clashes.
Hindus and Sikhs. Along with the gap of mistrust, doubt
and suspicion between the two
Traditionally Ladakhi people are communities of Ladakh had started to
renowned for their honesty, simplicity, grow.
and peace loving nature. Their glorious
past reveals their unique cultural This essay addresses two issues. The first
identity, religious tolerance, goodwill issue is related to the causes and events
and inter-religious marriage. Inter- of communalism in the two districts of
religious marriage was common until the Ladakh after the early 70s. The questions
1970s. (Ganhar & Ganhar 1956, pp.10- which need to be answered in this
11) The people of Kargil and Leh have respect include: Whether Kargil and Leh
social, cultural, linguistic and ethnic have acute social and political
differences? Do the people of Kargil
and Leh have separate identity to
achieve separate social, economic and
This essay was initially presented in a
political goals for their respective
conference organized by the IPCS in
collaboration with the India districts?
International Centre (IIC)
Second issue that the essay focuses is on
Views expressed are author’s own.
the implications of communal violence
1COMMUNAL DIVIDE IN KARGIL & LEH 2
on the socio-cultural relations of Kargil There are many factors which directly or
and Leh in the two districts of Ladakh. indirectly invoke communal practices
between Buddhists and Muslims of Leh
and Kargil. They include the following:
The root of communal divide is, largely
political, they have an underlying
I political dimension. Religion in Ladakh is,
COMMUNALISM IN LADAKH as elsewhere, often used as a
A CHRONOLOGICAL MAPPING mobilization tool by politicians, both
Muslims as well as Buddhists, which
Communalism today, is a serious threat leads to suspicion between the two
to Ladakh. It can destroy traditional and communities. A large number of
social harmony and become a political leaders appear to have a very
menace to the unity of Ladakhi people negative image of other communities
and unleash force of barbarism, as it did and their religions. These
recently in Zanskar and earlier in Leh understandings, in turn, are contested
and Kargil. Communalism in Leh and by some of their co-religionists, who
Kargil has been occurring for the last seek, in their own ways to promote
forty years. It has become a major better, relations between the
electoral issue in Ladakh since the 1970s communities (Sikand, Yoginder : 2010)
- various political leaders made
communalism a tool for vote bank. Some observers believe Ladakh’s tourist
dollar fuelled prosperity has a good
After the early 70s, a big gap was deal to do with its current communal
created in the relations between problems. Much of the inflow consists of
Muslims and Buddhists of Ladakh. The visitors seeking salvation through Tibetan
underlying causes of the conflict in Buddhism and Leh elites have little
Ladakh are largely political and reason to market Kargil’s Shia tradition
economic and not religious as such. instead. (Praveen, Swami: 2004).
Romesh Bhatcharji, in his recent book
wrote (2012) , “The gap between The LBA (Ladakh Buddhist Association)
Buddhist and Muslims sections of demand for the trifurcation of state on
population is widening by the day, essentially communal lines was wrongly
creating disharmony between two welcomed by the RSS (Rashtriya
communities.” Romesh has given Savayamsewak Sangh) and the BJP
detailed account of the rise of Buddhist (Bhartiya Janta Party) who are said to
virulent communalism in Leh in have close links with the LBA, seeing it
particular. as an ally against Muslims. (Yoginder
Sikand 2010).
Sharing one MP has made the two
districts, Leh and Kargil up against each
other, and religious sentiment play a
The root of communal divide is, largely political, major role, a trump card for the political
they have an underlying political dimension. parties in the fray. In the last four
Religion in Ladakh is, as elsewhere, often used decades, Ladakh has turned into a
as a mobilization tool by politicians, both hostile state of power rivalry not so
much a state level as within the region,
Muslims as well as Buddhists, which leads to
this has fragmented the region. Stanzin
suspicion between the two communities. Dawa, a noted scholar lamented that
recent politics in Leh lacks clarity of
2
2IPCS ISSUE BRIEF # 234, AUGUST 2013
purpose, vision and morality. It is highly
inflammatory and encourages The older generation consider 1989 as a turning
fragmentation in the name of parties,
point between Buddhist and Muslim relations in
sects, castes, region and damaging
rather than developing Ladakh. Ladakh. A scuffle between a Buddhist youth and
four Muslims in Leh on July 1989 set off a big
Since the early sixties, the differences protest in Leh. This incident resulted in clashes
between Kargil Muslims and Leh in Leh town, which later spread to other parts of
Buddhists became inevitable as paltry
incidents of stoning of mosques and
Leh district. There was police firing and some
desecration of Buddhist flags started protesters were killed.
taking place. (Harish Thakur 2008)
In 1979, Ladakh was divided into two
separate districts - Leh and Kargil. The resistance offered by the villagers for
Zanskar valley of Buddhist majority area retention of generator resulted in police
was retained in Kargil district for firing and indiscriminate lathi charge.
administrative purpose, which When the generator was forcefully
apprehended the Buddhist of Zanskar. withdrawn, people’s demand for the
After the creation of Kargil district the judicial inquiry probe into police
poison of blame game started between atrocities was not conceded.
the two communities that Kargil
People alleged that the police
created on communal basis.
atrocities were a part of conspiracy
The Muslims of Kargil defend the hatched by district authorities in
creation of district because of its collaboration with the high rank
faraway geographical location from politicians of Kashmir to suppress the
Buddhist dominated area of Leh. The voice of the people of Zanskar raised
Buddhists of Zanskar feel they are earlier against the ill-treatment and lack
discriminated against by the majority of development facilities. (Kaul: 1992,
Muslim population in the district of pp.268-9). However, in the process the
Kargil. Buddhists in Zanskar complain political leaders of the two communities
about the lack of government services engaged behind the scene to politicize
to them from Kargil, just as the ones in the issue for a selfish political interest,
Leh complain about the discrimination which escalated the tension. Some
by the Muslim Government of the state fundamentalists belonging to both the
of Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar. Mr. P. communities had waited for such an
Namgayal, MP from Ladakh stated in opportunity to blow up communalism in
the Lok Sabha, that Sheikh Abdullah’s the region. In era of 80s in Kargil, the
government’s bifurcation of Ladakh into minority Buddhists claimed the ruins of
Buddhist Leh and Kargil Muslim districts monastery in Kargil town, near general
washed off the centuries old hospital; they desired to renovate the
cohesiveness and secular image of the monastery into a new one. However, on
region. (Kaul 1992. pp- 263). the other side, majority Muslims
opposed their claims; since then, the
A minor incident that took place in place and ruins was declared disputed
Zanskar on 1 September 1980 assumed by authorities and till now remains
serious proportions. The trouble arose unsolved.
when the people of Karsha village
demanded the retention of a diesel The older generation consider 1989 as a
generator brought to the village during turning point between Buddhist and
His Holiness Dalai Lama’s visit. The Muslim relations in Ladakh. A scuffle
3
3COMMUNAL DIVIDE IN KARGIL & LEH 4
between a Buddhist youth and four Development Council by the Buddhists
Muslims in Leh on July 1989 set off a big of Leh, in the name of Ladakh, without
protest in Leh. This incident resulted in consulting the political and religious
clashes in Leh town, which later spread leaders of Kargil. This intensified doubts
to other parts of Leh district. There was and suspicions in the minds of the latter.
police firing and some protesters were
killed. (Sikand, Yoginder 2010). After the In February 2006 there were more
violence, partial damage had been tensions between the two communities,
done to the properties of the famous when some miscreants allegedly
Hemis Monastery. desecrated the Holy Quran in Bodh
Kharbo village near national highway
During the same year in many villages towards Leh. (Balraj, Puri, 2006).
of Leh, some Muslims were forcefully Desecration of the Holy Quran
converted into Buddhist fold and a increased the violence in Kargil where
heavy loss was suffered by Muslims in many shops and properties of Buddhists
Buddhist dominated region of Leh. (Kaul were damaged.
1992, pp. 304-305). All these communal
strains reached a climax in 1989, when On the other side Shia men who had
the LBA (Ladakh Buddhist Association) gathered at Leh’s Imambara for
first initiated a dangerous social and Muharram procession began to force
commercial boycott movement for shops in the city bazaar to shut down.
three years vis-à-vis the Muslims which Stones were thrown at Muharram
strained the centuries old communal procession in Leh during the same
harmony between the two month, where Muslims’ own houses
communities. (Kaul, pp.310-311). were set on fire in the hamlet of Horzey.
Shia retaliation came soon. Leh police
However, the situation was different in man Padam Dorjey lost an eye after a
Kargil. The communal boycott was not protester lashed out at his face with a
observed, though both the communities sharp tipped iron chain. In Kargil, a mob
reside in close proximity in many places, set ablaze the official residence of
and majority of them are Muslims. If only Deputy Superintendent of Police P.
the majority community of Leh district Sonam. For the first time troops from the
had shown some patience and Indian army and ITBP (Indian Tibetan
tolerance on that fateful day, the social Border Police) were called to enforce
environment of Ladakh would have curfew in Leh and Kargil. (Praveen
been completely different today. Swami 2006).
Early 1990s also witnessed the demand The issue of two languages, Urdu and
of Union Territory and Autonomous Hill B o d hi be tw e e n t he r e s pe cti v e
communities and the allegation of
Buddhists that the imposition of Urdu
language in schools and other
In February 2006 there were more tensions institutions of Buddhists by state
government in Kargil and Leh increased
between the two communities, when some the divide further. This issue was blown
miscreants allegedly desecrated the Holy Quran out of proportion by some narrow-
in Bodh Kharbo village near national highway minded people.
towards Leh. (Balraj, Puri, 2006). Desecration
On the other side Bodhi language has
of the Holy Quran increased the violence in
been a traditional and cultural
Kargil where many shops and properties of language of Ladakhi. Still there is a
Buddhists were damaged. misunderstanding in some sections of
4
4IPCS ISSUE BRIEF # 234, AUGUST 2013
Muslims in Kargil; their contention is The number of youths from Kargil in Ladakh
Bodhi language and its script belong to
scouts is very minimal, despite their readiness to
the Buddhists. They deliberately tried to
derecognize the language in Kargil join the Indian army. However, from Leh,
district. thousands of youths have been joining every year.
This step-motherly treatment with the youths of
Contrary to popular perception, Ladakh Kargil has always been a popular agenda and
is not a Buddhist majority area.
Buddhists and Muslims are about half
the demands of political parties of Kargil have
each in the district of Leh and in Kargil been without any success
district the Muslims are in majority.
(Nicheketa 2002). Unfortunately some
writers distorted historical facts which
increased suspicion between the
been resented by the people of Kargil.
Muslims and Buddhists to some extent.
This misinformation is always a tool for
They had written many books on the
opportunists to divide the communities
history of Ladakh without discussing
on communal lines.
even a single chapter about Kargil.
Kargil was even removed from the map Two separate demands of the people
of Ladakh, thus presenting a distorted of Kargil and Leh from Central
version of Ladakh history. This ignorance Government, Kargil for Greater Ladakh
gave a wrong signal to the people of and Leh for Union Territory distanced
Kargil, especially among the educated the people of Ladakh on ideological
youths. lines. The lack of political support by the
leaders of Kargil to the Buddhists of Leh
The policies of Central and State
to highlight the demand, to include the
Governments further escalated
Bodhi language in the eighth schedule
communal feelings in the region.
of the Indian constitution.
Discriminatory policies were pursued by
successive central Governments Also, the State and district authorities
against Kargil in the recruitment of are yet to consider the two decade old
Ladakh Scouts, despite their sacrifices in demand of political representation to
the wars against Pakistan in 1947, 1965, minority Muslims in Zanskar valley of
1971 and 1999. Kargil district; this has made the minority
Muslims in this region totally isolated.
The number of youths from Kargil in
Ladakh scouts is very minimal, despite At the social level, secret inter-religious
their readiness to join the Indian army. marriages among the youth of both the
However, from Leh, thousands of youths communities give a fundamentalist a
have been joining every year. This step- chance to disturb the peace and
motherly treatment with the youths of harmony in the Ladakh region. The LBA
Kargil has always been a popular (Ladakh Buddhist Association)
agenda and the demands of political presented a memorandum to the
parties of Kargil have been without any central government in 1999. It points out
success. that between 1992 and 1999, 24
Buddhist girls from Leh were converted
There has been a baseless allegation
to Islam and mostly taken to Kargil.
and false propaganda spread by some
Buddhist communal leaders against the Recently in 2012, relations between the
traditionally patriotic people of Kargil, two communities turned serious in the
by saying that Muslims of Kargil are the Zanskar valley, when 23 people of
supporters of Pakistan military. This has
5
5COMMUNAL DIVIDE IN KARGIL & LEH 6
Garba and Beda caste were which could have benefited both the
considered low among the Buddhists people of Kargil and Leh, today are
embraced Islam. A communal riot mired in uncertainty. All these are due
followed the above; houses of the to ego clashes, lack of cooperation and
minorities were damaged, cash looted misunderstanding among the political
from shops and property worth representatives of both the districts.
thousands of rupees was destroyed.
Though the converts tried to convince The social and cultural ties between the
everyone from administration to Leh and Kargil could have been better
religious and social groups that their today. There are numerous important
change of faith was voluntary and free Buddhist historical sites in Kargil district,
from any pressure or allurement, the for example the colossal rock statute of
Buddhists were adamant over the issue the Materiya Buddha in Mulbekh,
(PG Rasool 2012) Lankerchey and Karcheykhar villages.
The importance of these sites has
declined due to animosity and
communal attitudes of the district
II authorities and these invaluable
Implications of Communalism in heritage loses its core importance.
Ladakh
Jammu and Kashmir regions have their
The implication of communal tensions respective divisional commissioners for
are far reaching. Because of successive administrative purposes. However
communal riots and tensions, the Ladakh, in spite of it being
traditional bonding, cooperation and disconnected with the rest of India due
goodwill among the Muslims and to heavy snow falls, is unable to achieve
Buddhists of Ladakh has been vanishing divisional status. It could not materialize
gradually. Hypocrisy, enmity, doubts mainly because of the lack of proper
and misunderstanding against each coordination and commitment
other has increased among the amongst the leaders of Kargil and Leh.
students, political leaders, and even the
common people of the Leh and Kargil. The centuries old culture of Buddhist
Amchi oracle and treatment is in the
Big projects like Zojila tunnel, Zanskar- verge of collapse in Muslim dominated
Manali road, Central University for areas in Kargil, due to non-cooperation
Ladakh, Skardu-Kargil road, Suru valley between the two communities. The
power project, Leh-Zanskar road, Amchi medicine and treatment was
international status for Leh airport and once the backbone of local treatment.
the upgradation of Kargil airport - all of This gap created a huge loss for the
common people of Kargil, whose
ancestors had been trusting Amchi
medicine and treatment for centuries
for curing various diseases. It is obviously
a bad news for the common people of
The centuries old culture of Buddhist Amchi Kargil.
oracle and treatment is in verge of collapse in
Muslim dominated area of Kargil, due to non-
cooperation between the two communities. The
III
Amchi medicine and treatment was once the Conclusion
backbone of local treatment.
After the interpretation and discussion
6
6IPCS ISSUE BRIEF # 234, AUGUST 2013
of the dim facts of Ladakh region, it is
the foremost duty of all Ladakhis, Youths of both Kargil and Leh should come
especially political leaders and religious
together on a common platform to debate, discuss
representatives to show resilience and
kind-heartedness to accommodate and argue on various developmental and other
each other's viewpoint in a democratic issues, so that the doubts could be cleared.
country like India. Consultative and advisory council to discuss the
unresolved and various outstanding issues for the
Youths of both Kargil and Leh should
come together on a common platform
common interest of Kargil and Leh is the need of
to debate, discuss and argue on various the hour.
developmental and other issues, so that
the doubts could be cleared.
Consultative and advisory council to REFERENCES
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